Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Wed, Dec 05 2012, 11:13 AM

by Jeepster

We'll be there ... all arrangements have been made.

We first went three years ago. Theresa (The Kite Shoppe) had a last minute opportunity on a suite in one of the hotels. Grabbed it within two hours of it being posted, booked our flights and were off. Had a great time ... although the festival is so big that flying both single line and Rev kites at the same time is not too practical ... not impossible, but you need help. Since then, we've been making arrangements about ten months in advance. That's the long way of saying that if you really want to go, get on the stick right now to be assured of accommodations.

Cheers,Tom

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Wed, Dec 05 2012, 12:12 PM

by goestoeleven

Awesome. Any recommendations on where to stay (other than the generic web sites)? I've got a place in mind, but it's a few miles north of town. If you don't want to put it in the thread, send me a PM.

It will be good to see you there . . . . I might bring some big kites too (if I can get Jynx to drive them out there for me . . . hint hint :D)

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Wed, Dec 05 2012, 12:47 PM

by Mike

I'm in too!

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Wed, Dec 05 2012, 08:48 PM

by KiteVoice

goestoeleven wrote:Flights booked . . . I love frequent flyer miles (although I've spent far too much time away from home in order to earn them)

Would love to see the mega-fly but lovely wife Peggy is a college professor and that's the first week of the semester.

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Wed, Dec 05 2012, 09:31 PM

by Jeepster

goestoeleven wrote:Awesome. Any recommendations on where to stay (other than the generic web sites)? I've got a place in mind, but it's a few miles north of town. If you don't want to put it in the thread, send me a PM.

It will be good to see you there . . . . I might bring some big kites too (if I can get Jynx to drive them out there for me . . . hint hint :D)

Give Theresa a call, she lives close to that area and knows it well. She also helps some of the condo owners with renting to kiters. Renting a place a few miles away could be okay. Parking is really not a problem if you get a parking pass ... you can park right on the beach. The only negative is that you have to show up early and stay until - I think - 5:00Pm.

Cheers,Tom

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Wed, Dec 05 2012, 10:24 PM

by goestoeleven

Jeepster wrote:The only negative is that you have to show up early and stay until - I think - 5:00Pm.

Cheers,Tom

Umm . . . not sure I see a negative here . . . early until 5 pm . . . sounds like a good day at the beach to me.

The plus of having the car all the way onto the beach is hauling things like chairs, kites, coolers, water, etc. as close to the field as possible. The Rev field is a small hike from the parking spaces, IIRC.

BTW, I think the condo place I talked to said there's public transit buses that you can take to and from the condos as well. So if someone wants to go back to the condos before the car gets free, there's always the bus.

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Sat, Jan 05 2013, 01:35 PM

by goestoeleven

Condo booked . . . 3BR . . . 3 miles north of the festival . . . three beds are spoken for . . . but there is a pull out sofabed if additional people are interested . . .

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Sat, Jan 12 2013, 09:48 AM

by backdraft

Looking forward to going to this for the first time. Anyone have suggestions? Where is the flying field at? Is there a link to the festival?

Mike

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Flying fields are basically enormous stretches of marked off sand on a huge beach . . . . in 2011, the Rev field was 250 feet deep & probably the same width, with room for several large groups to fly at the same time. That's just one of five marked off fields, plus I think there's one more big kite area . . . The fields are so big, I think only three of them were really in use in 2011.

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

If you apply for this card, you'll get 50,000 American Airline miles (usually good for two roundtrip tickets) and $150 too. You also get free checked luggage and a couple lounge passes.

There's an annual fee that's waived for the first year. Just cancel the card before the next year and you'll pay nothing and get free money and flights. If you really want to get tricky you can apply for both the Amex and Visa on two different browsers simultaneously and get double the bonus (you'll have to spend $6000 in 4 months--buying gift cards is one way)

I would apply soon if you're interested:Even though it says the offer has expired, my experience is that if the page is still up, you'll still get the deal. You can call the activation number after you get the card in the mail and verify the before you activate the card.

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Sun, Feb 10 2013, 08:52 AM

by goestoeleven

Southwest's schedule is now open through September 27th if anyone was waiting for that to happen before booking tickets . . . looks like it's about $402pp right now round trip to Seattle.

Also - the condo I booked is completely full now as I think we'll have six or seven IKE'rs staying in the unit (someone on the pull out sofa, and someone probably on an air mattress).

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Apply for the credit card and use the card for $2000 worth of purchases within 3 months of getting the card and you'll get 50,000 points.All you'll have to pay is the $69 annual fee for the first year and maybe $5 for each ticket when you book.

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Sun, Feb 10 2013, 10:43 AM

by goestoeleven

Ok, Mr. Dead Horse,

$2000 is a lot of kites . . . . or maybe just a fraction of one of the big show kites.

The points idea works, as long as the number of points works out for the trip - which means you need to book well in advance. If the cost of airfare goes up, so does the number of points required on Southwest. If you get the card now, you can probably get the airfare using points in April, but if you delay much longer than that, summer travel will start to get sold out, and you won't be able to book a reasonable airfare. The other thing that may happen is that the price of fuel will go up as we get out of winter, and so airfares will go up as well. One good thing about Southwest is they don't charge change fees, so if you buy the tickets, you don't lose the airfare if you cancel or use the money on a different flight (as long as it is used within one year of the original purchase date). However, you may not be able to switch from a ticket bought with $$s to one bought with points, and get your money refunded. The best you'd do is have a credit for the cash tickets that you could use for future travel.

My mental "exchange rate" for points is that 1 point = about 1 cent, so 50,000 points is worth about $500. If you can buy two tickets for less than $500, I'd tend to pay cash. If the tickets are more than $500, then you are better off using points. Right now, the tickets are about $402pp or 22,800 points round trip, so you are WAY better off using points. With Southwest, if you can use points for the Web-only Wanna Get Away fares, the conversion rate almost always favors using points because they are converting points at a rate better than 1=.01. However, when it gets closer to departure, very often the number of points gets high (because the airfare is high) and the ratio gets much closer to 1=.01 (or worse), so it's not such a good deal either way if you delay buying the tickets.

FWIW, I'm flying on American, using points.

Also, if you get the points for "free" - i.e. spending $2000 you'd spend anyway on groceries, gas, etc. then my mental points exchange rate doesn't apply. I don't get the "bonus" 50,000 points every year because I have the same cards I've had for years.

Don't get me wrong - Mike's approach makes sense if you don't mind applying for and cancelling the cards every year or so. I used to do it with the BMG & Columbia CD clubs . . . wait until you'd get 12 CDs, then apply, then wait until they had a "buy 1 get 3 free" offer to fulfill my membership, then close out the membership . . . . wait a couple months, and apply again.

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Sun, Feb 10 2013, 12:32 PM

by Darkspark

We recently changed to a Southwest card for the reasons Mike layed out. Ironically we did it a week or two before Mike posted it. Although it kinda makes me sad that I can't get the Best Buy or Cabelas gift cards I usually get. A fair price for more kite fests I guess.

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Sun, Feb 10 2013, 12:59 PM

by Mike

Darkspark wrote:We recently changed to a Southwest card for the reasons Mike layed out. Ironically we did it a week or two before Mike posted it. Although it kinda makes me sad that I can't get the Best Buy or Cabelas gift cards I usually get. A fair price for more kite fests I guess.

I understand that airfare isn't as sexy as a new toy from Cabelas, but in this case you're getting a better return for your money. You're putting $2000 on the card and getting $800 back. With most store cards you'll get $20, maybe $40, back on your $2000.

I'm not hard core about this at all, there's folks out there who apply for and cancel half a dozen cards every few months. It does earn them, literally, millions of points though. It must be a part time job keeping track of it all, and I don't travel that much.

By the way, I apply for a card in my name only, and then after I've met the spending requirements for the bonus, consider getting one in Fern's name and doing it again.

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Sun, Feb 10 2013, 01:17 PM

by goestoeleven

. . . Just like the BMG Music and Columbia Music club memberships. I used to have memberships in my name and my wife's name at home, and my name again at work . . . . ah, the good old days. No wonder I have piles of CDs laying around . . . Pandora and Spotify made them all obsolete . . .

Mike's right, an $800 return on $2000 in spending (which you'll be doing anyway) is really hard to pass up, especially when compared to the "2% cash back" alternative.

Mike - what's the hit to your credit rating for opening and cancelling? Does it have an impact if you are planning to buy a house or car? That would be my main concern other than keeping track of the accounts. (I'm not planning to buy a house or a car any time soon, but just curious).

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Sun, Feb 10 2013, 01:43 PM

by Mike

goestoeleven wrote:Mike - what's the hit to your credit rating for opening and cancelling? Does it have an impact if you are planning to buy a house or car? That would be my main concern other than keeping track of the accounts. (I'm not planning to buy a house or a car any time soon, but just curious).

That's a good question. I wouldn't do a lot of credit card applying and canceling (known as "churning") if I was planning on needing a big loan in the next couple years. I forget which, but my bank or one of the credit cards gave me a free credit score and the little bit I've done hasn't shown any difference at all to my credit rating.

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Mon, Mar 25 2013, 09:40 PM

by Shari

Just wanted you to know flights are booked and we are ready to go! Land in Seattle 8/20 around 1:45pm Tuesday afternoonNot heading home till Monday 8/26 in the am.

Re: WSIKF 2013: August 19-25, 2013

Posted: Wed, Apr 17 2013, 02:29 PM

by Amy Flanery

Anyone from the Illinois Valley area going?I'm looking for sources for a weekend feature for the La Salle NewsTribune. Please contact me ASAP if you're from the area and willing to talk! :)Thanks!